Hackers target Catholic Diocese, civic group

July 11, 2011|By Mark Schlueb, Orlando Sentinel

Computer hackers on Monday took down websites for the Catholic Diocese of Orlando and the Rotary Club as part of their ongoing effort to pressure City Hall to stop arresting anti-poverty activists for distributing food at Lake Eola Park.

The cyber-attacks by the hacker group Anonymous overwhelmed the sites for a short time, though they were both functioning later in the day. The group has previously targeted, with mixed results, Orlando government's website, as well as sites owned by the chamber of commerce, Orlando International Airport and others.

"Our message with these take-downs is clear, these are civic groups whose own ethics demand that they stand with the poor of Orlando and Food Not Bombs," the group wrote in an email sent to reporters Monday.

The group called on John Noonan, bishop of the Orlando diocese, to act as an intermediary between Food Not Bombs and City Hall. A representative of the diocese did not return a call seeking comment.

The city has arrested about 28 people in the past five weeks, most of them members of Food Not Bombs, for serving food to the homeless and others at Lake Eola Park. They've been charged with violating a controversial city ordinance that requires a city permit to share food with 25 or more people in a downtown park.

The group moved its feeding to the plaza in front of City Hall on Monday, and its members addressed the City Council that afternoon. Both sides accused the other of being unwilling to negotiate.